This is a “fictorical” scenario that played well with the local group. The scale was 15mm and the rule set used was Battles for Empire. There were seven players, one for each brigade and one “for the rabble.” Assignment of the brigades and entry points was done by random card draw. The brigades were represented on the table by markers (dominoes, actually) until they came within recognition distance of each other. Initially, the commanders did not know who was on their flanks. Each brigade commander had one aide-de-camp for scouting, etc. None of the brigade commanders knew the strength or location of the local partisan units. The “rabble” was not represented on the table by markers or figures until they attacked the regulars.

General Scenario: Fall 1815.

Napoleon has finally been defeated and is cooling his heels on an island resort in the South Atlantic. The Congress of Vienna is redrawing the map of Europe. Forming a portion of the border between two of Napoleon’s former allies, Wurttemberg and Bavaria, is the Bergwasser River. On an island in the river is the town of Schwartzkopfdorf.

In the town is the famous Rosenbaum Brewery, known throughout Europe for its superb beer. Both Wurttemberg and Bavaria have claimed the island as their territory. Not willing to wait for the politicians in Vienna to make a decision, the two beer-loving nations have sent army units marching toward the border. Converging on the island by different routes, the commanders from both armies have been ordered to take any action necessary to stop the other country’s troops from occupying the town.

The town of Schwartzkopfdorf and the surrounding countryside on both banks of the Bergwasser River were once part of the Duchy of Schweinhausen. The duchy was absorbed into the Confederation of the Rhine by Napoleon in 1 805. The citizens of the town and most of the local farmers and woodsmen do not want to become part of either Bavaria or Wurttemberg. The Burgermeister has raised the standard of Schweinhausen over the Rathaus (city hall) and the locals have declared their intent to oppose occupation by either country.

Orders of Battle

Bavarian Order of Battle

Brigade Preysing (Entry Point A)

1st Dragoon Regt. (4 Sqdns)
2nd Dragoon Regt. (4 Sqdns)
1st Lt Inf. Battalion
2nd Lt Inf. Battalion

Brigade Minucci (Entry Point E)

1st Chevau-Leger Regt. (4 Sqdns)
2nd Chevau-Leger Regt. (4 Sqdns)
1st Lt Battery (6 guns - 6pdr Horse)

Brigade Beckers (Entry Point C)

1st Infantry Regt. ( 2 Bns)
2nd Infantry Regt. (2 Bns)
1st Line Battery (6 guns - 6pdr foot)

Wurttemberg Order of Battle

Brigade Hugel (Entry Point B)

Dragoon Regt (4 Sqdns)
Konig Jager zu Pferde Regt (4 Sqdns)
Fuss Jager Regt. (2 Bns)

Brigade Roder (Entry Point D)

1st Chevau-Leger Regt. (4 Sqdns)
2nd Chevau-Leger Regt (4 Sqdns)
2nd Horse Battery (6 guns - 6pdr)

Brigade Stettner (Entry Point F)

1st Inf. Regt. (2 Bns)
2nd Inf. Regt. (2 Bns)
2nd Foot Battery (6 guns - 8pdr)

Author’s Note: the random card draw determined that the opposing brigades entered the battle area on alternating routes. Honest!

Duchy of Schweinhausen Forces

A poorly armed rabble lead by the Burgermeister of Schwartzkopfdorf. They took up positions along the town walls and near the bridges. Two 3pdr guns were positioned on the north and east bridges. Small parties of sharpshooters also waited in two of the outlying villages and near the defile on the Southeast road.

The Action Begins

As the opposing forces converged on Schwartzkopfdorf, action was initiated by the defenders of Schweinhausen. Beckers’ Bavarians were fired upon from the village of Ostdorf as his brigade crossed the ford over the Bergwasser. Southeast of the river, Roder’s troopers received tire from above as his lead squadrons entered the defile. In both instances the “Rabble’s” feeble attempt at ambush was nothing more than a nuisance. The locals immediately disappeared when the regulars on both sides returned fire. Cautiously approaching from the west, Stettner’s lead battalion, 1/1IR, was passing through the village of Westdorf when it received fire from the buildings on the south side of the road. The regiment’s second battalion launched an attack which sent the ambushers fleeing south out of the village and into the hills beyond. In the open fields north and south of the town two cavalry actions were about to take place.

Deploying his cavalry in the area west of Schweinhausenberg, Hugel sent his Fuss Jagers dashing for the bridge (Nordbrucke) on the north side of Schwartzkopfdorf. He was watching the approach of a mounted unit off to the west, the identity of which he was unsure of. South of the farm Preysing’s 1st Dragoon Regiment formed into line and advanced toward the suspected enemy cavalry deploying beneath the castle ruins. Simultaneously both sides recognised the other and launched into a charge.

(Author’s Note: None of the brigade commanders had opted to use their ADCs in a reconnaissance role.)

The Bavarian Dragoons got the worst of this engagement and were chased off the field by the Wurttemberg Dragoons. The Bavarian 2nd Dragoons then swung into line to avenge the defeat of their comrades and were promptly thrashed by the Konig Jager zu Pferde Regiment. The day was not looking good for the Bavarian horse. Preysing’s light infantry battalions had entered the field and deployed in open order on either side of the road just south of the farm. Finding themselves alone in the open with victorious Wurttemberg cavalry rallying to their front, the infantry fell back and took up defensive positions among the farm’s buildings and behind its stone fences.

South of the town Minucci’s light horse did not fare any better than their fellow troopers to the north. As the Bavarian 1st Chevau-Leger Regiment advanced to meet its Wurttemberg counterpart, Minucci sent his horse battery galloping north to engage Stettner’s infantry as it crossed the ford near the village of Westdorf Roder’s 1st C-L regiment made short work of the Bavarians and charged on, forcing the gunners of the horse battery to abandon their pieces and seek cover in the woods. Then Minucci personally led his other regiment into action against the 2nd Wurttemberg light horse regiment. Roder’s horse battery fired in support of his cavalry as they counter charged the Bavarians. Leaving one squadron to guard their trophies, the six Bavarian guns, the 1st Wurttemberg light horse joined in the fray and hit Minucci’s troopers in the flank. The Bavarian horse were swept from the field, losing their brigade commander in the process.

While the cavalry hacked and sliced at each other, Beckers’ infantry launched an attack against the Ostbrucke (east bridge). The single shot from the defenders’ 3pdr gun on the bridge didn’t slow down the elite companies from the lead battalion. As the gunners ran off into the town, the Bavarian grenadiers tipped the cannon into the river. Continuing to charge over the bridge the 1st battalion was stopped in its tracks by a withering fire from the buildings and the town walls. The Bavarians fell back across the bridge to regroup.

At the same time, the Wurttemberg 1st Fuss-Jager Battalion was blasted by the town’s other three-pounder as they attempted to cross the Nordbrucke (north bridge). It had the same effect as the town’s other “popgun,” and the gunners ran off and took cover in the church. On their heels came the Jagers, who immediately assaulted the church. Not an easy nut to crack being of heavy stone construction, the Jagers’ first attempt was repulsed by the defenders in the church. Falling back over the Nordbrucke, the 1st Jagers disordered their sister battalion.

On the east side of the town Beckers brought up his foot battery to batter the defenders on the town wall as his infantry prepared to make another assault over the bridge. Changing his tactics Beckers’ battalions crossed the bridge and deployed into firing lines opposite the church and the other town buildings. He was determined to soften up the enemy before assaulting the buildings again.

Concentrating their efforts on defending the Nord- and OstBruckers, the town defenders left the rear door open. After crossing the ford over the Bergwasser and forming up into assault columns, Stettner’s battalions charged across the Westbrucke unopposed and attacked the brewery. While the 1/1 IR was clearing the rabble out of the brewery, Beckers’ Bavarians successfully assaulted the church and the other town buildings. The defenders who were evicted from the buildings on the south side of the town tried to escape by swimming the river or crossing the ford.

Those which didn’t drown were cut down by Roder’s troopers and horse battery gunners. The surviving defenders from the church and the brewery fled to the Fishermen’s Quarter, which was being blasted from across the river by Stettner’s foot battery. As Stettner launched a regimental attack against this last stronghold, Hugel’s Fuss Jagers charged over the Nordbrucke and again assaulted the church. The Bavarian infantry in the church repelled this attack. The Wurttemberg infantry took the Fishermen’s Quarter, the remaining defenders jumping into the river and meeting the same fate as before.

A lull in the action occurred as both sides sorted themselves out. The Bavarians occupied the church and other buildings while the Wurttemberg battalions had the brewery and the Fishermen’s Quarter. On the north side of the river Stettner’s foot battery was moving east to bombard the church in support of the Fuss Jagers’ next assault. South of the town Roder’s brigade was also moving east to cut off the Bavarians from their withdrawal route. To the north Preysing and his light battalions were still Pinned down in and around the farm by Hugel’s cavalry. Under a flag of truce, Beckers proposed a compromise. Wurttemberg could have the town if Bavaria could have a percentage of the profits from the brewery. Knowing that any further combat might destroy the brewery, the Wurttemberg commanders agreed. So ended the Battle of Schwartzkopfdorf. The soldiers from both sides assembled in the town square and proceeded to make a large dent in the brewery’s inventory.

It was a fun scenario to play.